The facade of The Fullerton Hotel Singapore is basked in a pink glow nightly this month to raise awareness about breast cancer.

The pink light-up was launched by Minister in the Prime Minister's Office Indranee Rajah yesterday to kick off Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which falls in October.

Along with this, a pink-themed afternoon tea has been curated by the hotel and its sister property, The Fullerton Bay Hotel Singapore, for this month. For each afternoon tea set sold, $5 will be donated to the Breast Cancer Foundation (BCF).

Breast cancer claims the lives of more women in Singapore than any other form of cancer. Six women here are diagnosed with breast cancer daily and one dies from it every day.

"(These) statistics are quite high and we really would like to see it come down. I cannot overstate the importance of early detection," Ms Indranee said.

Only 62 per cent of women, however, reported having ever done a breast self-examination, noted a survey commissioned by BCF in 2017.

Dr Shyamala Thilagaratnam, group director of outreach at the Health Promotion Board, said the survival rate is very high when breast cancer is detected in the early stages.

"With about 30 per cent of breast cancer (cases) still being diagnosed in the third and fourth stages, we encourage all women to make the first move and go for your mammogram, and do so regularly," she urged.

Madam Tang Kai Fong, 76, a retired seamstress, experienced for herself the advantage of early detection.

A routine mammogram 15 years ago showed she had Stage 1 breast cancer, which is now under control after she underwent a mastectomy.

"Early detection can really save lives and all women, young and old, need to be vigilant" and go for checks, she said.